Ten-man Man United blitzed by PSG after VAR drama, Blues veteran Giroud bags four: CL Wrap
Ten-man Manchester United collapsed to a 3-1 defeat at home to PSG after a dramatic Champions League clash where a controversial VAR decision saw United escape a red card for a headbutt only to be sent off in the second stanza.
After Neymar scored early, midfielder Fred avoided a red card in a highly contentious moment after a VAR review produced a yellow card, and was fortuitious to avoid a second caution later in the first half.
But United’s luck turned on its head when Fred was handed a second yellow with twenty minutes to go - once again, in controversial fashion - just a minute after PSG made it 2-1 after a close-range goal that was onside by mere millimetres.
Neymar scored his second of the goal after a stunning counter-attack handed him a simple finish in the dying minutes, bookending an incredibly dramatic match.
The result sees PSG, United and RB Leipzig all equal on nine points in Group H - viewed as the ‘Group of Death’ - entering a dramatic final matchday next week.
In other games, Chelsea veteran Olivier Giroud scored FOUR goals in a rout against Sevilla, and Cristiano Ronaldo scored two for Juventus against Dynamo Kyiv.
UNITED COLLAPSE AFTER VAR DRAMA
Manchester United’s suspect defence once again cost them dearly as Brazil superstar Neymar scored after just six minutes, blasting home from a tight angle after a deflected Kylian Mbappe shot.
But United were lucky to avoid further punishment when Fred escaped a red card for what seemed a clear headbutt on PSG midfielder Leandro Paredes after 21 minutes.
The incident took place behind the referee’s back but he was immediately called over to the VAR monitor to review a potential red card, only to quickly – and unbelievably - produce a yellow card.
United’s luck continued with a deflected Marcus Rashford strike finding the net in the 32nd minute. He became the first Manchester United player to score six or more goals in a single UCL campaign since Cristiano Ronaldo’s eight in 2007/08.
And Fred was once again lucky to remain on the park after another tackle minutes later on Paredes – where he stamped on the PSG player’s foot – instead saw his opponent given a yellow card for sliding in.
In the second half, Anthony Martial missed a gilt-edged chance to hand United the lead when he blasted over at the back post, before Edinson Cavani struck the post with a deft chip on a counter-attack.
Marquinhos nearly found the net for Paris with a back post header as he was falling away, only to rebound over off the crossbar. He found the net in the 69th minute, poking home from close range in the scrappy aftermath of a corner. United fans were up in arms over a potential off-side, but replays showed Marquinhos appeared to be onside by mere millimetres.
Then Fred was handed a second yellow card one minute later – albeit much later than many thought he should have – for another lunging tackle, seeing United down to ten men. But Fred and United were outraged after he appeared to collect the ball in what appeared a clean tackle.
Neymar finished a stunning victory in the 92nd minute when he slid home a left-foot shot from close range, making no mistake after Rafinha laid it on a platter in a searing counter-attack.
United needed just a draw to secure their place in the knockout stages, but now face Red Bull Leipzig next week needing a result to progress. PSG will face Basaksehir Istanbul next week, with a win or draw enough to secure progression.
In the earlier Group H match, Red Bull Leipzig joined United on nine points after scraping victory against Basaksehir Istanbul.
Istanbul’s Kahveci scored a stunning hat-trick and appeared destined to secure a point for the Turkish side, only for a 92nd minute winner to steal a 4-3 victory for Leipzig.
Istanbul they came back from 3-1 down to draw level, but Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth came off the bench to lash in the winner in the second minute of added time.
“It was a crazy game,” said Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann after Sorloth scored his first goal since signing for Leipzig from Crystal Palace for a reported 20 million euros ($23 million) as a replacement for Chelsea-bound Timo Werner.
GIROUD BAGS FOUR!
At a spritely 34 years and 63 days, Olivier Giroud became the oldest player to score a brace for Chelsea in Europe – and he didn’t stop there, doubling his tally in a superb solo performance as Chelsea beat Sevilla 4-0.
The France international sent out a message to his manager Frank Lampard, with Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham seemingly above him in the pecking order, by making the absolute most of only his second start of the season.
Giroud wasted little time in putting Chelsea ahead, collecting Kai Havertz’s clever pass before cutting inside and bending a fine finish into the far corner in the eighth minute.
Sevilla were left frustrated as they saw two penalty appeals for handball turned down. Then Giroud delivered a sublime chip over the keeper when a well-timed run off the shoulder of the last defender put him through.
Giroud got on the end of a well-weighted N’golo Kante ball to make it a hat-trick with a looping header, the first Chelsea player to do so in the Champions League since Didier Drogba against Levski Sofia in 2006.
Then he was dragged down in the box as he raced to get on the end of a cross, converting his own penalty to make it four!
Giroud becomes the oldest person in Champions League history to score a hat-trick, though Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas was older in the European Cup in 1965 when he scored three for Real Madrid against Feyenoord.
He is also the first player to net four times in a Champions League match since Cristiano Ronaldo against Malmo five years ago. And, as if that wasn’t enough, the hat-trick was also ‘perfect’ - with a goal from the left foot, one from the right, and one from a header in addition to the late penalty.
BARCA CRUISE DESPITE ABSENCES
Antoine Griezmann struck for the third game running as Barcelona beat Ferencvaros 3-0 on Wednesday to keep their 100 percent record intact in this season’s Champions League group stage.
Ronald Koeman again rested Lionel Messi with qualification for the last 16 already assured, and Barca made it five wins from five in Group G with an impressive performance in Budapest.
France striker Griezmann has struggled to find his best form since joining from Atletico Madrid almost 18 months ago, but the 29-year-old appears belatedly to be hitting his stride under Koeman.
Martin Braithwaite soon poked in a second from a similar position following an Ousmane Dembele assist, capping a 33-pass move with his fourth goal in three games.
Dembele crashed home a penalty after Braithwaite was upended by Abraham Frimpong, with Koeman withdrawing Alba and Sergio Busquets at half-time and giving some playing time to youngsters Carles Alena, Riqui Puig and Konrad de la Fuente.
DORTMUND DRAW DESPITE HAALAND ABSENCE
Borussia Dortmund reached the last 16 despite Lazio captain Ciro Immobile scoring a second-half penalty against his former club in a 1-1 draw in Germany.
The result at Signal Iduna Park means leaders Dortmund need a win at Zenit St Petersburg next Tuesday to be sure of progressing as Group F winners.
Lazio, who are second and a point behind the Germans, will also go through if they draw at home to Club Brugge the same night.
Immobile, who failed to make his mark in the Bundesliga after an unhappy 2014/15 season at Dortmund, converted a 67th-minute penalty to cancel out Raphael Guerreiro’s goal just before half-time.
Erling Haaland, the top scorer in the Champions League this season with six goals in four games, was sidelined by a leg injury.
Dortmund have not said how long he will be out for.
MINNOWS STRUGGLE
In Wednesday’s other early kick-off, Krasnodar beat Rennes 1-0 in Russia, with Marcus Berg scoring the only goal.
Both sides were already eliminated from Group E with Sevilla and Chelsea through, but Krasnodar’s victory means they will parachute into the Europa League and winless Rennes will not be involved in European football at all in the new year.
FULL TIME RESULTS
Istanbul Basaksehir 3-4 RB Leipzig
Krasnodar 1-0 Rennes
Manchester United 1-3 PSG
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Lazio
Ferencvaros 0-3 FC Barcelona
Juventus 3-0 Dynamo Kyiv
Club Brugge 3-0 Zenit
Sevilla 0-4 Chelsea
Source: Fox Sports
